Method of producing knitted fabrics having lap stripes and yarn variation and the resulting fabric



March 8, 1932. 1, LAWSQN ET AL 1,848,362

METHOD 0F PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS HAVING LAP STRIPES AND YARN VARIATION AND- THE RESULTING FABRIC Original Filed Nov. 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Shree?I Marchr, 1932. 1. LAWSON ET AL 1,848,362

METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS HAVING LAP STRIPES -AND YARN VARIATION AND THE RESULTING FABRIC Original Filed Nov. 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2z 25 34 sa a2 af .e2 25 zizi/vena ins John/Lawson, lloef/LHLal'l/son,

March s, 1932.

.1. L AwsoN ET AL 1,848,362 METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS HAVING LAP STRIPES AND YARN VARIATION AND THE RESULTING FABRIC Original Filed Nov. 16, 1927 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 3 V29,03@Wifi-L1)any@on,

ric from the inner s1de;

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 Umano res PATENT .ori-ien JOHN LAWSON AND ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF PA'WTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, .ASSIGNOIELS` T0 HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS HAVING LAP STRIPES .AND VARIATION .AND THE RESULTING FABRIC Original application led November 16, 1927, Serial No. 233,637. .Divided and this application illed January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,072.

to ythe resulting fabric.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 233,637, now Patent No. 1,702,608, dated February 19, 1929.

This invention relates to processes for producing knitted fabrics, particularly hosiery, and more especially seamless hosiery having lengthwise stripes made by additional threads, and also having patterning effects produced through yarn manipulationor variation, and more partcula-rl through the manipulation of a plurality o yarns to produce plating and reverse plating, and also In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, we have disclosed two embodiments of the fabric of our invention and such portions of the mechanism for producing the same as are necessary to disclose the preferred method for producing the fabric.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a seamless stocking having the lengthwise extending stripes which, forconvenience of description, we shall herein refer to as reinforced orlap stripes, and also indicating the normal plating and reverse plating areas;

Fig. 2 isV a plan view upon a greatly en larged scale of the outside of a portion of the fabric shown in Fig. 1, and particularly representing the manner' in which each additional thread is laid or incorporated in forming the reinforced or lap stripe;

l Fig. 3 is a similar vi'ew looking at the fab- `Fig. d is a view generally similar to Fi 1, and also representing the patterning e feet produced by plating and reverse plating of the main threads;

Fig. 5 is a view, somewhat similar to Fig. 2, of the outside of the stocking shown iu Fig. 4, and particularly disclosing how the Y two main threads are positioned in the plating and reverse plating;

Fig. 6 is aviewv similar to Fig. 5 but taken from the inside of the stocking or other fabric; Y A

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the latch rino` and closely related parts of a circular knitting needles machine, indicating the relation of the needle circle of the member or part whereby the additional threads are introduced -to the Fig. 8 is a detail in side elevation of developments representing a yportion of the circle of needles and the latch ring and yarn guides and the taking of an additional thread and the two main yarns by the needles in accordance with our invention; and i Fig. 9 is a detail showing a needle in side elevation and the means for feeding the .additional thread thereto. f

In accordance with our invention, we introduce one or more additional threads or yarns to make longitudinal stripes spaced as desired, and which we herein refer to as reinforced or lap stripes. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, we have represented the introduction of eight such additional threads, but it is -to be understood that v the number may be varied as desired within the, scope of our invention and that the introduction of said threads, or any of them, may be interrupted at predetermined points, yand particularly at the commencement of the heel and again at the commencement of the toe. The said additional threads are introduced through a special feeding device to which said threads are delivered from an elevated bobbin carrier, stand or support, here shown as eccentrically arranged with respect to the needle cylinder.

rThe regular threads or yarns, which merely for purposes of distinction we will refer to as the main yarns, are atleast two in number, and they are fed in a platingrelation,

as, for example, in thernanner shown in the patents to Robert lh/Lawson, Reissue No. 16,584, April 5, i927, and No. 1,605,896, November 2, 1926.

' In accordance with our invention, the two main yarns are fed in any suitable manner in a normal plating relation, as hereinafter described in detail, and at desired times the plating is reversed so as to produce figures or patterns of any desired character between the lengthwise extending stripes produced by the said Aadditional threads. So far aswe are aware, we are` the iirst, in a hitted fabric, to provide lengthwise extending stripes or areas consisting of an additional thread for each stripe and two yarns fed in a plating relation, onto which the said additional thread or threads are superimposed, and desire to claim the same broadly.

In the'disclosed embodiment of the invention, the said two main yarns are fed in a normal plating relation, and the additional threads by which the stripes are made upon the main yarns are received by the predetermined needles, so that at each point where the stripes are formed, three threads are received by the needles and knitted or incorporated thereby into the fabric, namely, the two plating yarnsof threads and the said additional thread. The said two main yarns at the said stripe are laid and knitted in a normal plating relation with the said additional thread also knitted into the needles and appearing on the outer face of the fabric as a stripe covering the plating yarns and superimposed thereon. Between the said stripes the two main yarns alone are introduced, and they are knitted either in a normal plating relation or in a reverse plating relation, according to the dictates ofthe pattern mechanism. Even though two of the lengthwise stripes may bel very close to'- gether, as shown for example in Figs. 3 to 6, the wales between said stripes may consist partly of normal plating and partly of reverse plating, or either, and the patterns in those parts of the fabric where the stripes are more widely separated may be varied as desired. While the normal plating and reverse plating operations are carried out in a manner broadly similar to the disclosure in the said patents to Lawson, and while the reverse plating maybe effected in any suitable maner, we provide patterning mechanism disclosed in the parent application, and tofwhich it is not necessary particularly to re er.

In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, we have repre-` sented two fabrics illustrative of the many that may be formed in accordancewith ourinvent-ion, and which may be taken as representative of the many diderent vones emhodying the invention, and which may be t'ormed by the mechanism herein disclosed.

In the disclosed fabrics, we have represented hosiery, here shown as socks. In each of them. there are represented the so-called lap stripes to which we have referred, and also normal plating areas and reverse plating areas between said lap stripes, it being understood that each lap stripe is, in the disclosed embodimentof the invention, superimposed upon a normal plating area. The reverse plating areas are, in the disclosed embodiment of the fabric of our invention, between the lap stripes. In the event that two of the lap stripes are relatively close to each other, as we will disclose in GQ111169- tion with Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the few wales between the closely adjacent stripes are herein partly formed in normal plating and partly in reverse plating. Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the hose is represented at 1. It is here shownl as provided with a rib top 2 desirably incorporated with the rest of the stocking by a transferring process. The heel 3 and the toe 4 are both formed by a narrowing andwidening operation. The dark lengthwise extending lines 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are lap stripes formed as already stated. Between the la stripes, the

white areas (indicated general y at 10) are normal plating and the darker areas (indicated generally at 11) are reverse plating.

In Fig. 2, we have represented the outside of a portion of the fabric upon ya greatly enlarged scale and have therein shown a portion of one of the lap stripes, as, for example, a portion of the lap stripe 7. The two main yarns, which are the yarns fed in a plating relation, are shownat 12, 13. An additional thread, whichv is introduced to form a lap stripe, is indicated at 14. The

course of said lap thread, both at the inside l and at the outside of the fabric, is indicated in the two views Figs. 2 and 3. The thread 14, in the illustrated case of Fig. 2 and Fig.

3, is knitted upon two needles only, and the thread ypasses from one needle to the next adjacent needle in each course and then back to the first needle for ,the next course, and so on, so long as the lap stripe vis being formed. In Fig. 1 we'have represented the lap stripes 5, 6 as interrupted at the heel 3 and all of the lap stripes as terminating at the toe 11. By suitable means (not heren disclosed) we may provide means for terminating the lapy stripes, orV any of them, at other points.

In Fig. 4, we have represented a hose 15 having a rib top 16, a heel 17, and a toe 18, said heel and toe being formed by narrowing and widening. In this instance, we havek represented one lap stripe 19 which is a single needle in width, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5. Adjacentl thereto is another lap stripe 20 separated-therefrom by two wales, indicated generally at 21 in Fig. 5. Between the said lap stripes 19, 20, there are small spot-like areas 22 of normal plating and 23 of reverse plating, in alternation. Said spots ofl normal plating and reverse plating are shown. upon a larger scale in F ig.

5. We have also shown allap stripe 24 one needle inwidth, and .adjacent thereto another lap stripe 25 a needle in width, and therebetween we have shown spot-like normal. plating areas .26 and s ot-like reverse plating areas 27. Between t e lap stripe 20 and the lap-striper24, which are relatively widely spaced, there' are areas' of normal plating (indicated generally at 28) and darker areas 29 of reverse plating. It will,

of course, be understood vthat the lap stripes 19, 20, 24 and 25 may, if desired, be more ythan a single wale in width. Where the lap stripes are relatively very close together, as,

foreXa-mple, in the embodiment of our in`- vention shown in Fig. 5, a single additional thread 14 serves for both ofthe stripes, and the portion of m'said additional thread 14 between said two closely adjacent lap stripes is floated back and forth, as clearly plating and reverse plating is suspended during the formationfofthe heel and the toe.

During the formation of the heel and the toe,

p# as already stated, the formation of the lap stripes is discontinued. 4 Y,

Referring to the pattern represented in Figs. 4 and 5,'and to any one of the diamond shaped patterns shown in Fig. 6, it is tobe understood that the upper block of four loops or stitches of each and every one of said diamonds is made inv reverse'plating through the action of the sinkersof a first group, and we have here marked-the same 31. The two blocks next underneath are produced through the action of the sinkers of a second group and we have marked the same-32. The three` blocks next underneath are produced through the action of the sinkers of a third group, and

Ywe have marked the same 33. The four V blocks next underneath are produced'through the action of the sinkers of a fourth group,

blocks next underneath are produced through the action of the sinkers of the third group and we have marked them 33. The two blocks next underneath are 'produced through the action of the sinkers of the second group, and we have marked them 32, and the single block terminating the diamond is produced through the action ofthe sinkers of the first group, and we havemarked the -same 3l.

In this mannerlth series of diamonds between the widely *separated lap stripes and 2t are produced, and in a similar manner those blocks'of .reverse plating that are hetween closely adjacent ap strips are produced. were, however, blocks or areas of reverse plating are made which are not in the saine course as blocks of reverse plating in the diamonds, sinkers'of still another group may be employed and certain of the blocks produced thereby we have marked in Fig. 4. Obviously the diamond pattern is selected merely for illustration as the reverse patterning may be widely varied within the scope of our invention.

In Fig. 7, there are represented the circle of needles and the disk or plate 36 from which the exact position of said plates with respect -to the needle circle is made clear.

In Figs. 8 and 9,we have represented the taking of an additional thread by one or more needles which are satisfactorily elevatedA for the purpose, and it will be observed in Fig. 8 that the two main threads' indicated at A and B therein are introduced through thread guides A', B', so located that the needles which take the additional threads are restoredv to the level of the adjacent needles of the series, and that they take the two plating threads A and B. In Fig. 9, one of the v needles ris indicated at 38, and is shown in relation to the disk or plate 36 with its thread guides 37.

Having thus described one illustrative emlbodiment of ourv invention, and the best V.inode known to us for practicing the method of our invention and the fabric produced thereby, we desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims 1. A knitted fabric composed of'two main yarns which are knitted throughout entire courses including immediately succeeding courses in a plated relation, and one or more additional threads interknitted with said main yarns to form oneor more superimposed lap stripes the said two main yarns existing in the completed fabric in such accurate plating relation and position in wales adjacent to, at each side of, said additional threads, that according to pattern requirevments if and where desired for varied plating effects or areas in predetermined knitted loops, said two main yarns lie in response thereto in-the completed fabric.

2. A knitted fabric composed of two main yarns knitted in a normal plated relation at portions thereof, and in a. reversely plated relation at other portions thereof, and. one or more additional threads interknitted as a lap stripe or stripes in superposed relation to'said normally plated portions of the said fabric. y

3. A knitted fabric consisting of two main yarns knitted in part in a normal plated relation and in part in a yarn variation of normal plating, and one or more additional threads interknitted in superposed relation with portions of said fabric lthat-are in nor` mal plating.

i plated'V relation.

5.'A `seamless hose or stocking, the main portion whereof is composed of two main yarns which .are knitted'throughout entire courses including immediately succeeding courses in a normal plating relatlon, and one or morek 'additional threads interknitted as lap stripes onto said plated threads, the Isaid two main yarns existingin'the completed fabricin such accurateplating relation and posiknitte loops, lsaid two main yarns lie in rey stripe, and at other portions of said fabric tion in wales'adjacent to,atlveach side of, said additional threads, that Iaccording to pattern requirements if and where desired for varied platin r effects or? `areas in predetermined sponsethereto inthe completed fabric.

6l vA knitted fabric ycomposed of two main yarns knitted ina vnormal plated relationy in f part,-and.knittedina reversely plated relation' inthe remaining part, and having a pluralityofadditional threads interknitted with saidmain yarns to form a plurality of lengthwise extending stripes, certainfof said stripes being close together andthe twolmain .yarns between saidf'close` stripes'being lni'ittedy in part in anormally lated relation and in part in a reversely p atedrelat'ion. i

7. A knitted fabriecomposedof two main yarns knittedin'afno'rmal plated relation in part and knitted in a'reversely plated relation in the remaining part, and having-aV pluralityof additional threads interknitted with said main yarns to form a plurality of lengthwise extending stripes, certain of said stripes being close together and the two main yarns between said close stripes being knitted in part in a normally plated relation and in part in a reversely plated relation, the'additional thread of which said close lap stripes is composed being floated between said stripes at thevback of the fabric.

8. That method of knitting a fabric comprising knitting two main yarnsthroughout tubular stocking comprising knittin quirements by reversal at such loops so as at i such loopsy to lie in reverse position. 9.v That method of knitting a fabric comprising knitting two main yarns in part in .Y stripe or stripes upon normally plated por-y t-ions of the said' fabric.

' l 10. Thatniethod .of knitting a fabric which consists in knitting two main yar-ns throughout entire courses including immediately succeeding'courses, in a normal plating relation,r

effecting yarn variation at portions of said fabric, and interknitting' an additional thread or threads as lap stripes into normally plated loops4 of the fabric.

11.1That methodl of knitting a seamless fabric comprising knitting two main yarns in anormal plating relation, and upon portions of. said normally 'plated `yarns interknitting an additional thread to make a lap varying the yarn relation of the said two main yarns to cause the backing yarn of the normally-plated portion of the fabric to appear at the face.

12. That method of knitting a-seamless or two yarns throughout entire courses, inc udin immediately succeeding courses, in a norma plating relation and interknitting therewith at one or more points an additional thread as a, lap stripe whereby the two main yarns and each additional thread are received by selected needles and cast off together and during the knitting operation, maintaining the two main yarns in such accurateplating relation and control in wales adjacent to,'at leach Sider-,105*

of, said additional threads, that wherever pattern requirements are for reversed plating effects or` areas n predetermined loops, the said two main yarns respond in knitting to such requirements by reversal at such loops thereby lying in the completed fabric in reverse position at such loops.

13. A knitted fabric composed of two main yarns and a plurality of subsidiary yarns, the two main yarns appearing in a plated relation at all the loops of the fabric, and the subsidiary yarns respectively appearin in su erposed relation at the outer face o the fa ric at certain of the loops only, the said two `main yarns existing in the lcompleted fabric in such accurate plating relation and position in the Wale or wales underneath the subsidiary yarns and in'wales adjacent to, at each side of, said subsidiary yarns, that according to pattern requirements if and where desired for varied plating effects or areas in predetermined knitted loops, said two main yarns lie in response thereto in the'completed fabric.

14. A knitted fabric composed of two main yarns and a plurality kof subsidiary yarns,

the two main yarns appearing in a plated relation at allthe loops of the fabric, and the two main yarns appearing ina normal plated v relation at portions of the fabric and in a reverse plated relation at other fabric.

15. A hose or stocking having the leg and foot thereof composed of two body yarns which are knitted throughout entire courses, including immediately suceeeding course, in a plating relation and having at the opposite sides thereof at' substantially the clocking areas a third yarnl knitted in witlr the loops of the said two body yarns, so as to appear on the outer face of the said hose or stocking and contrasting with the said body yarns, whereportions of the by at substantially said clocking areas three yarns exist in each of the loops, vthe said two body yarns existing in the completed fabric in suchsaccurate plating relation and position at the clocking areas and in wales adjacent to, at each side of said clocking areas, that according to pattern requirements if and where desired plating effects or areas in predetermined knitted loops', said two main areas lie in response thereto in the completed fabric.

16. A hose or stocking having the leg and foot thereof composed of two body yarns which are knitted throughout entire courses, including immediately succeeding course, in a plating relation'and having at intervals a third yarn knitted in with the loops of the said two body yarns, so as to4 appear at said intervals on the outer vface of thesaid hose or stocking, and there contrasting with the said body yarns, whereby at said intervals three yarns exist in each of the loops, the said two body yarns existing in the completed fabric in such accurate plating relation and position where the third yarn is knitted in and also in wales adjacent to the knitting in of said third yarn, that according to pattern requirements if and where desired for varied plating effects or areas in predetermined knitted loopssaid two main yarns lie in response thereto in the completed fabric.

17. A hose or stocking having the leg and' foot thereof knitted throughout of two body yarns in a plating relation, so that one yarn appears at the inner face of the stocking and the other yarn appears at the outer face of the stocking, but with said two body yarns reversed in position at intervals, saidv hose or Y 'stocking having at intervals a third yarn knitted in with the loops of the said two body yarns, so as to appear at said intervals on the outer face of the said hose or stocking and there contrasting with the said body yarns, whereby at said intervals the yarns exist in each of the loops.

18. A knitted fabric composed of two main .said subsidiary yarns.

19. 'I hat method of knitting a fabric comprising knitting two main yarns in a plated relation throughout but in normal plated relation at predetermined areas and in reversely plated relation at the remaining areas, and while maintaining plating control of said two main yarns at the normalI plated areas, superimposing upon the outer face of the/fabric at certain normally plated areas an additional yarn or yarns whereby a lap stripe or stripes upon desired normally plated areas is or are superimposed upon desired normally plated portions of the fabric without interrupting or impairing the normal plating positions of the said two main yarns.

20. A knit-ted fabricy composed of two main yarns knitted in a normal plated relation at portions thereof and in a reversely plated relation at other portions thereof, and one or more additional threads each superimposed upon normally plated areas along two lines closely adjacent each other, each such additional thread being oate'd at the back of the fabric from one of said lines to the other.

21. That method of knitting a fabric comprising knitting two main yarns in a plating relation throughout but in a normal plated relation at parts only of the fabric and in a reverse plated relation at the remaining parts of the fabric, and interknitting in a su erposed relation on ythe outer face of the fa ric an additional yarn along two closely adjacent but spaced lines at normal plated portions of the fabric, and floating said addiy ,o CERUFICMEQ'CRRECTioN. PatenrNogigmasz. v f V f Granted March 8.193210 JOHN LAwsoNQEr AL..v

It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the l abone nmhered patent requiringl correction as follows: Page 5, line 27, claim 15,fafterfth`eword "desired" insert the words lfor varied; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record yof the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th`day of April, A. D. 1932.

p M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissionerof Patents. 

